Beautiful but tough climb through the hemlocks to near the top of Mt. Spokane. The downhill is almost all technical singletrack.
Discover Pass ($30 annual or $10 daily) is required to park at Mt Spokane.
Beginning at the parking lot a quarter mile into the park, take
Trail 110 as it alternates between doable climbs and sections of hike-a-bike for any of us mere mortals. Be alert for other trail users, especially descending bikers as they can be hauling down at many points.
Before the one-mile mark, riders will reach the bottom of the "Super Highway", a wide open section that's more of a road that becomes more level the higher up you go until it reaches the
Kit Carson Loop Road and the trail above becomes tight singletrack that climbs steadily through an increasingly beautiful forest (you might even find some huckleberries if you take a break). The last bit of this trail travels through close brush on a narrow embedded track that spills out into an intersection with a pit-toilet.
Turn right on the much more level
Kit Carson Loop Road for three-quarter miles until you reach the CCC Cabin. Pay attention to any signs about walking your bike as this is a heritage area. Just south of the cabin is
Trail 130, which is a particularly pretty traverse that starts by traveling through grassy slopes and tall trees. As the rolling terrain takes riders east, you'll encounter some dips and punchy climbs that can make it hard to maintain your momentum.
Stay with
Trail 130 as it crosses the road and passes the left side of a pavilion in the Bald Knob Picnic Area (restrooms and water are seasonally available here). As the singletrack works back into the trees, it encounters a short, loose descent before connecting with
Trail 131.
Continue descending on a fast and fun, root-strewn blaze that eventually works past some service buildings above the road. Cross the paved road and head into the Lower Selkirk Lot.
Trail 120 begins at the bottom right corner of the parking lot, and
Trail 290 (The Goods) turns off to the right after about 50 yards.
The trail drops quickly through a series of switchback, jogs, and jumps, some of which offer nice gaps. Almost all of the trail is shaded. As it continues, the trail gets narrower and rougher requiring riders to navigate over some challenging roots and rougher sections. There are also a few small bridges that aren't too difficult to enter or exit. Just be wary of the traction if things are wet.
This almost three-mile trail does slip in a few sections of pedaling, but the majority of the time is spent following a raucous descent that will only get better as the trail matures. Where the trail ends, it spits riders out into the parking lot where the ride began.
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